Page 59 of Don't Say You're Sorry

Adam looks offended. “What? Why?”

“Because it’s messing with my head. I don’t know who the fuck Arlo is,” he grumbles under his breath as he turns the page. “Is he the guy who’s supposed to be dead?”

“I’m not spoiling it for you. The twist is the best part.” Adam chuckles, then turns around in his seat to point at his brother, a warning in his eyes. “If you crack that spine, I’ll beat you with it.”

Axel feigns a cringe. “Should I not have dog-eared the pages either?”

“What?! Give me that, you wanker.”

Jaw tight, I look between them as they start fighting over the book. I haven’t even turned the car on yet, too preoccupied watching their back and forth.

Is this what it’s been like for the last few years? Them bickering over books and clothes and TV shows and takeout options, just as Adam and I used to do, while I’ve been here onmy own? I mean, I’m glad he had someone. But that someone could have beenme. It should have been me.

When I realize they’ve gone quiet, I look over at Adam and find him watching me. He’s back in his seat now, no book in his hands, his sad, knowing eyes on mine. He subtly shakes his head, and I know what he’s thinking without him having to say it.No, it wasn’t always like this.

It doesn’t make me feel any better.

I drive toward the iron gates.

Axel uses the book he’s holding to point at the R8. “Is that your car?” he asks Adam.

He nods. “Easton bought it back for me.”

“When?”

Adam doesn’t know when, so he looks to me for the answer. Curling my fingers around the steering wheel, I say, “A couple days after you left.”

Adam chews on his lower lip.

Head lowered, I watch Axel in the rearview as he looks at me and his brother from beneath his brows. When he opens his mouth to say something, I reach out, place my palm on Adam’s forehead, and hit the brakes hard. Axel jolts forward, hitting his head on the seat. “Ow.”

“I thought you were told to shut the fuck up,” I grumble, dropping my hand to Adam’s lap.

Adam looks at my fingers curling around his thigh, hiding a smile as he looks out the window.

The three of us walk through our parents’ house into the kitchen, and my stepmother looks up at us from her laptop, doing a double take at her oldest son. “I’ll ring you back,” she says intothe phone at her ear, dropping it on the island and jumping out of her seat. She looks like she’s about to burst into tears as she barrels into Axel’s chest. She squeezes her arms around his middle, and he swallows, hugging her back just as tightly, his chin resting on the top of her head. He whispers something we can’t hear, and she shakes her head firmly. After a few more moments, she releases him from her death grip and wipes the moisture from her eyes. “What’s going on?” she asks all of us. “Is everything okay?”

Adam nods, biting his lip to stop it from trembling.

“Are you back?” she asks hopefully. “Both of you?”

Adam nods again, and she exhales as if a huge weight has been lifted off her chest, a big smile on her face as she forces all three of us into a group hug.Lovely. Axel’s hand accidentally brushes mine on Adam’s back, and I smack it away. He smacks me right back, and I glare at him over Adam’s shoulder, tempted to pull his brother away from him and demand he never touch him again.

Brother or not, he doesn’t get to touch what’s mine.

You’re pathetic, Axel mouths.

Just as I’m about to reach over and hit him, Adam fists my shirt and discreetly pulls me away, breaking the group hug. “Has Michael started making dinner yet?” he asks, distracting his mom.

“Not yet,” my dad says from somewhere behind us, making Adam jump and drop his hand.

My dad cuts his eyes between the two of us, at the way we’re standing too close to each other, and I don’t miss the slight tic in his jaw. Adam pretends not to notice and plasters a smile on his face. “Great. Axel wants to make it.”

Axel pulls his head back. Just as he opens his mouth to deny it, Adam widens his eyes at him with a pointed look, and Axel rolls his eyes. “Great,” he says, mocking his brother’s tone.

“Great,” I echo, just to be a dick.

“Great…” Veronica says, making me laugh.

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